'I visited the Art of Play toy store in Brooklyn — Kelly Clarkson was right'
'I visited the Art of Play toy store in Brooklyn — Kelly Clarkson was right'
Caroline GaspichTue, October 13, 2026 at 9:21 PM UTC
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I visited the toy store in Brooklyn that Kelly Clarkson is entangled in controversy with -Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited (Reach Publishing Services Limited)I visited the Brooklyn-based toy store 'Art of Play,' where Kelly Clarkson slammed the owner, calling them 'rude' and a 'liar' after they refused to sell her a $15k item
On Tuesday, October 13, I paid a visit to the Brooklyn-based toy store 'Art of Play' after the small business became entangled in controversy with Kelly Clarkson.
Over the weekend, the 44-year-old talk show host was involved in a viral spat with the owner of a New York City-based store after the owner refused to sell her a $15,000 one-of-a-kind singing-and-dancing bird automaton. Taking to social media, Kelly described her experience in the shop as feeling like she was getting the 'Pretty Woman' treatment, referencing Julia Roberts' character who was turned away from shopping at a high-end store.
When she attempted to buy the bird, Kelly said she felt the staff was looking down on her, making it seem as though she couldn't afford the item. Later, the shop claimed the item was never for sale, which led the American Idol winner to call the employees "rude" and "liars." Amid all of the controversy, I stopped by the store myself to see the bird and attempted to have a conversation with the owners.
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While I typically tend to side with a small business over a major celebrity, I didn't have the most welcoming or pleasant experience exploring the store.
Rather than promoting his business and discussing their interaction, the co-owner in charge dismissed me completely, and then rudely questioned my own work as a journalist. When I entered the business, I quietly took a few photos and videos of the toy store without bothering any customers.
Art of Play has been under fire after Kelly Clarkson shared her negative experience at the store
Doing this led the co-owner to approach me and ask if I was with the media. When I confirmed that I was and asked if he would like to talk about the controversy, he immediately shot me down. He said he had nothing else to say and that the store had already shared its statement with the media.
When I asked if he could show me the bird in question, he rudely told me that I "didn't do my work as a journalist if I didn't know what it looked like." While I clearly knew what it looked like, I asked the question to confirm it was the right automation and to potentially learn more about it and its meaning to the shop.
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Kelly was interested in purchasing a bird automation on display at the shop
While I thought Kelly might have been exaggerating the interaction because she was accustomed to special celebrity treatment, my own experience showed me the kind of hostile energy she encountered.
While I completely understand the owner's feeling like they are under attack by the media, I had no ill intent when visiting the store, and was more than happy to share positive coverage of their small business amid the controversy.
In her initial X post detailing her experience at the shop, Kelly wrote, "Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me."
Kelly compared the experience to Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman -Credit:Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
She continued, "Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out."
In their Instagram statement responding to Kelly, the shop wrote, "At Art of Play, whether someone comes in to make a purchase or simply look around for a while, they are equally welcome. We greet everyone who walks in the door with the invitation to 'pick things up and play. And they do; many stay for hours enjoying our puzzles, games, and toys."
They continued, "Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store. It's been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity."
The shop sells unique toys and holds their own magic shows
The shop closed, "Thanks to all our friends for their support, and welcome to all the curious folks who have discovered us amidst the drama. We're going to keep our heads down, and hopefully, we can clear things up with Kelly someday."
Since the controversy, the store's owners have increased the bird's price to $14 million. The owners have described the piece named Molly as their "mascot" and say the bird is a mechanical puppet used in their magic shows.
In an interview with USA Today, the co-owner described the backlash as "surreal." He said that while they've been met with an influx of hate and threatening messages, they have also seen a renewed interest in their curiosity shop.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
